Snowplow



y 2, 1933' J. R: RITCHIE 1,906,718

SNOWPLOW Filed May-2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

J. R. RITCHIE May 2, 1933.

SNOWPLOW Filed May 2 1931 INVENTOR. c/Ul/N 7?. 71372 h'e ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 2, 1933- JoHN RITCHIE, b1 1 MIN'NEAi-OIiS; "Mm-Nielsen I: 5

are inow l'iu'gely used to clear the highwa s of snow, The "snow isusualiiy-'?cliseliiuf gecl to oneside or theb'ther of" the road by -theplow. Such-plows ai'e'nowusuallypropelled by truck 01' tractor. "It isdesirable t'o 'have *a plow which is easily operated; and \v hieh "willeffectively handle the snow Whether it is distributed uniformly or iindrifts. i It is 5 also desirable to have :aplow with means -wherbytl1esnow ean be'deliverefil to onesille I ofthe road 'or th iother. I 3v IIt is an'objeet of'tliis invention,ithereiore,

to provide 'a, snow plow ha-vinga "discharge I thnteyzmcl effectivemeans forengaging the snow and directing the same to the chute. i

' It is afurther-objectof the inventiont'o provide-e mold looerclyan'dpropelling meansfor dire'eting snowto' the. ehute; "and wherein thechute iv'illfbe oscillatzihle seas to direct the snow to eneside-oi' theother-bf the? plow. I A 1 "It is e-nether objeet 6f the invewitien topmwide a" snow p1ow-mich will include a mold board; a Chute intherearef't-he moldfboard,

propelling means for directing f snow to the 'ehnte5'a1id'w I V rlilting the chute and prop'ell-m'g means for directing the, ehfite 'towa'ds one side or the provide a snow plow wllich' will 'inclilde 3 a'board, "spaced propellers for-flireceing-snow Z 40 to the chute; "and:will' also inelude conve ing extending reMWeiidlly from s aid" b3 adesaiid having an opening therethro1'1gh,- a chute o in the {rear of saidopening, means 1 iii the rem 01f sa d-opening fordire ting snowto19211." (sonar 534,50Qj'1 the chute, the chutehavifi af-rainepfojeictn'aled in said fr amgendwill'also inelude'pro-' provide" a plowas set forth in the preceding paragraph; in which the chute togetherwith.

- said frame and propellers Willbe oscillatable aboflt 'a-n axisextending forwardly and rearit is still a' fu'rther object of the'inveritio'n i Tear-Wardly extending 'fneld *board, it" ehute in therear of the mold boz'ird; prq ellr s "roitiltable a bout a transverse:lXis ip from ef, saidfchute, and a shaft on which 'sai'd propellet'sare'niounted; and will also include means 7 of said snow plow, j and"means fOI oscillating 'said I chute: and propellefs 'eiteliding to tl eiear Gf-saiclplQW. I H

The se and otherobjects m cladyamages-of the iznvei'ition will be "fullyset fe'i'th in t'he following description ha-(1e in connection with the=acc0nipanying clra'yvingsfin iwhich I like "referencecharacters referto; similar parts th rOugho'utthe several vi'ewsg and in WhiUlii Figi lis a view iii'front' el'evation Offthe p1 0w;i e H "8 0 Fi'gfiQ is-"e"view in sicle elevation; certain arts being br oken away encl othersshown -inverticalsetion ,f Fi'g.- '3 is a section te-ken' on lifief'33-*of f e Fig. 1, as'iiidieateol by the ar w"; 7

Fi'gA is a'section taken bn"line"4+"4 of Fig; il es indicatedtythearfiow; 1 5 i i. F-i'g'. 5 is a top plan viewgeertaifl patts being brQken" away and others shown in hori zoiitl seiztiem ancl 5 Fig.f-'6; isa View in' plow. Referring to thefdrewinfg's a plow is shown rearelevation of the "'having ahottom membef 10 'i i'theff oi'hi of 'a bar'whiehextiends transversely of the plow at the bottom thereof end inenge'gemelit with "the" supporting surface; "I Me'niberilO i issub,stahtiall'yfhorizontel' et its" bottom 1 has downwardly inelinedtopsurface, the frlo f said member thus tapering to an edge.

nt i A I blade 11 preferably of hard steel is secured to the top surfaceof member 10 at its front por tion, extending somewhat beyond said edge.Member 11 is provided with a comparatively sharp front edge and its rearend is beveled toward the top surface of member 10. Member 10 at spacedpoints has upwardly and rearwardly projecting ears 1000 having apertures10?) therethrough adapted to receive means for pushing said plow. Blades12 extend upwardly and somewhat forwardly and outwardly as seen in Figs.1 and 2, said blades being disposed at the ends of member 10 and havingthe form of flat bars having substantially sharp front edges as shown inFig. 3, and also having beveled or tapered rear edges. The blades 12 aresecured by bolting or otherwise at their inner sides to the outer sideof a mold boardor plate 13. Thetop edge 13a of the plate 13 extendsbetween the blades 12 at a considerable height above member 10 and theblade or mold board 13 slopes rearwardly from its top edge, the blades12 and member 10, being secured to member 10 at its bottom. The moldboard 13 extends rearwardly to an opening 13?) defined by the edge 130,which opening is circular in form. A flange 13d extends about theopening 136 to points inside of the ears 10?) as shown in Fig. 1, saidflange being secured to bar 10. Flange 1301 is cylindrical and the innerside thereof is disposed a short distance outwardly of the edge 130 tothus form a right-angled shoulder or recess in the rear of member 13.This recess forms a cylindrical guideway and the cylindrical portion 14aof a chute and frame member 14 is disposed therein. An arcuate groove100 is formed in the member 10 forming a continuation of the guideway inflange 13d and portion 14a also extends into this groove. The chutemember 14 comprises the substan tially rectangular chute portion proper14?) which extends upwardly, and the rear side of which is inclinedoutwardly. The sides 140 of the chute portion 14?) are substantiallyvertical and these, as well as the rear side 14d merge into asemi-spherical portion 14c which in turn extends to the portion 14a. Theportion 14a at either side of the chute has a rear vertical edge 14 andthis is partly embraced or overlapped by a flange portion 136 on themember 13, which flange portion is disposed at either side of the member13 as shown in Fig. 6. The portion 14a for a portion of itscircumference is provided with gear teeth 14g and a pinion 15 mesheswith said teeth, the same having trunnions 15a journaled in the member13 and in a flange bracket 13f, one of said trunnions or the shaft ofpinion 15 having secured thereto one member 16 of a universal joint, theother member 17 of which is secured to arearwardly extending shaft 1.8which will extend to the truck or tractor driving the plow, and will beprovided with a crank r hand W eel so as to be turned by the operator.Flange 13d is cut-away adjacent the pinion 15. The chute 14?) has acentral vertical partition 14h which divides some distance below the topof the chute into plates 14m forming a chamber 1471, open at its rear. Aframe 14d having sides substantially alined with plates 14m extendsforwardly from portion 14a through opening 13?) in partly cylindricalform as shown in Fig. 2, said frame having its sides converging somedistance from its edge to form a substantially sharp or V-shapedperipheral portion 14;). This frame portion 14d has openings 1470 in itsspaced sides. The brackets 19 are provided, each having a cylindricalflange extending into the openings 147:: and having circumferentialflanges overlying the sides of the frame 142' and secured thereto by theheaded and nutted bolts 20. The brackets 19 extend outwardly at eitherside of the frame 142' and are provided with hubs in which are disposedTimken bearings 21 in which is journaled a shaft 22.

. Shaft 22 has a beveled gear 23 secured thereto between said bearings,with which meshes a beveled pinion 24 secured to a shaft 25 journaled ina web extending across frame 142' and in a flange formed on one of thebrackets 19. One member 26 of a friction cone clutch is secured to shaft25 and projects rearwardly in frame portion 1411. Another shaft 27 isjournaled in frame 141' and has splined thereto the cone member 28 ofsaid friction cone clutch said member having a groove therein in whichare'disposed portions of a clutch lever 29 pivoted to lugs on the frame142' and connected at its other end to a clutch operating rod 30extending rearwardly through opening 14a. Shaft 27 at its rear end hassecured thereto one member 31 of a universal joint, the other member 32of which is secured to a shaft 33 also extending rearwardly throughopening 1412. and which will be connected to the motor of a drivingvehicle.

The shaft 22 has secured thereto at each end the propeller or impellermembers 34. Each of these members comprises a central hub keyed to shaft22 and a cylindrical flange or drum portion 34a connected to the hub bythe ribs and webs 34b. The propeller also comprises scoop-shapedradially extending blades 340 secured to the outer side of the frameportion 34a. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, these blades are formed fromsegmentshaped plates folded in curved form about the central axis andsecured to the drum at their wider ends. A hollow conical member 3403extends outwardly from each of the members 34, the sameterminatingsubstair tially in a point and each of these conical membershas a helical blade 346 secured thereto, said blade tapering to a pointadjacent the end of the cone and extending helically thereabout andhaving its other end terminating closely adjacent one of the propellers34.

The blades 34e 'a re oppositelyarranged on the'two conical members so'thatithe'y tend to convey snow to the propellersor rotors'34.

In operation the plow will' be propelled barsconnected to the lugs 10a.Shaft 33 will" 'b connected -to the motor' of the pro- .pe'lling vehicleand-the rod 30* and the- Shat'ft -18 zwill extend. to said vehicleand:be provided with operating means. Sha -ft 33 is' rotated and when theclutch members 26 "and 28am connected by operation of the clutch rodEAlyshzrtt '22 will be driven through the gears 23 and 24 soithat thepropellers 34 are rotated together with their portions 34d and,

346. The snow isengagedrbythe'edge of the frame l4jand bythepropel'lers, and is moved rearward-1y by the blades340. llheupropellersare rotated "at quiteia =high"speed so that'th'e snow movediback by thepropellers 34cis' ,directed into the sides of the chute l4fband edischargedthrough the top/of'said chute at high-velocity As the .plowprogresses the snow is engaged by theiront edg es of the blades '12 andall of thesnow inside of the blades 11 and 121is guided inwardly by themold board 1 3 so as toflbedi-rected toward the'opening'13b. The snow isen'gaged by the helical blades 346 and these move the same inwardlytowardthe propellers 34. The snow is "moved toward thechute 1:41) by theconcave surface of theipliatc 140 so that as the-plow movesforward-.ptht: snow is moved inwardly andjeventuall'yengaged by :the

blades 34c and discharged into and through the chute 14b. Asthe plowmoves alongthe highway; it is desired" to discharge the snow at theside. They-chute 14?) can bedirected to one side or theother by theepera'torturning the shaft 18. This rota'tes the-Ip'in-ion I5 androtates the member 14 carrying the frame 142' and; theshaft 22 and thepropellers 34. The chute 14b is thus-directedtoward one side of theroadcor the other and the snow is discharged'at the desired side.The-"chute may sometimes be in a vertical pesiti'om tf there is a strongWind' bIoWing; so that the show will be carried off sto'the side of theroad or when thesnow is being loaded into a wagon, "as whensremovingsnow-"from the city streets. The "sha'zftf22and ithe propellers 34 'aswell as the conveyors formed'bymembers 34d a-nd 34c can bethrown; out ofoperation when desired by operation ofthe'c'lutch e comprising*members26and28.

s -From v the above description it is seen that applicant has provided averyiefiicient structure of; snow plow; The snow is effectively engagedand discharged and can be directed toeither sideof the road as desired."The discharge chute is quite short or of stub formation, so that thereis little impedance of the snow dueto-"friction' with the sides of thechute. The device is designed "to pmpelled" and operated Fby'an'automotive 'vehiclc, such as a truck or tractogandncan b'c (snowrearwardly into said chute,

readily attached: "thereto-for operation; I The parts of the deviceare-quite rugged land the zplow is capable of handling very'deep snow 7onoperati'ng in deepidri fts. It willwbemo'ted that the drivingmechanism forsthe propell- 'lers, as well as-r'the clutch 'imechanism,istall enclosed in the (frame and protected *from snow. 7 fThe device isquite ruggedly made and: intended for :heavy duty. ItI'Wi'l-l be 'ap{utility for the purpose intended;

parentthatthe, device has a high degree of i It will, {of course, be"understood thatr va 'rio'us changes may bemade in "the:r:fcrm,rde.-

tails, arrangement and" proportions of the parts, Without applicantsinvention, whichgenerally stated,

consists in a device capable of carrying out depart-ing" irom the scope;of

the objects-above set fortluin therpartsand i combinations of parts"disclosed aznd-ide'fined in the appended claims. J I

and arotatabl'e propel ler rprojectin-g forwardl'y of said blades andarranged to deliver saidsurlfaee acting 'to' guideflsaid snow to saidapropeller andchute. BJA snow'pl'owhauingincombination, a

a rotatable impeller extending- 'forinc *rearwardly sloppingmold-Bboard, a chuteito which 'snow is directed by saidmold' boamifapropeller unit for directin snow through said chute, andmeans amoscillating said chute and propeller uni't' together about an axisextending forwmrdly and: rearwardl yotf 'saidplow. I u i 4. A snow plowhaving in combination, a mold board-a chute-sinthe-'rear'ot said moldboard, a pair of =s'paced ipropellersrotatable about an axisextending-transversely of said moldh'0'ard, said chute and propellersbein'g oscillatable about an axis extending forward ly and rearwardlyofsaid mold board.

5. A'snow plow having in combination,

bottom and side blades,a moldboard'slop r 7 ing urear'wa'rdly" andhaving a" central opening, a unit rotatable-about said 'openingandincluding anupWard-ly directedwhu'te; spaced propellers, carriedsaidunit for delivering sno vtosaid chute, and conveyors carried We -iPropellers;

6. A snow plow having in combination,-a mold board, a substantiallyhorizontal blade at the lower portion thereof, vertical blades at theends of said blade, said mold'board extending rearwardly from saidblades and having a central opening, a chute in the rear of saidopening, a plate having a concave surface leading from the edge of saidopening to said chute, and a propeller disposed in said opening andarranged to discharge snow from said chute.

7. A snow plow having in combination, a substantially horizontal bottomblade, vertical blades at the ends of said bottom blade, a chute in therear of said blades, a mold board having a surface extending rearwardlyfrom said blades for guiding snow to said chute, a propeller rotatableabout a substantially .transverse axis for directing snow into saidchute, and oscillatable about an axis extending forwardly and rearwardlyof said plow.

8. A snow plow having in combination, a mold board having arearwardlysloping surface, a chute in the rear of said mold board, a shaftextending transversely in front of said chute. a pair of spacedrotatable propellers secured to said shaft and oscillatable about anaxis extending forwardly and rearwardly of said chute to direct snow tosaid chute.

9. A snow plow having in combination, a mold board, a chute in the rearof said mold board, a shaft extending transversely of said mold board infront of said chute, spaced propellers carried on said shaft androtating in planes extending forwardly and rearwardly of said moldboard, means for rotating said shaft and propellers, and means forswinging said shaft and propellers about an axis extending forwardly andrearwardly of said low.

p 10. A snow plow having in combination, a bottom blade, side bladesextending upwardly at the ends of said bottom blade, a mold boardhavingv a surface sloping rearwardly, said mold board having a centralopening, a guideway surrounding said opening, a chute in the rear ofsaid opening having a front opening to receive snow and having acylindrical guide rotatable in said guideway, a'frame carried by saidchute, a shaft journaled in said frame, propellers secured to saidshaft, means for driving said shaft, and means for oscillating saidchute and frame.

11. A snow plow having in combination, an upwardly extending chute,spaced propellers in front of said chute rotatable about a transverseaxis to direct snow through said chute, and means for oscillating saidchute and propellers about an axis extending forwardly and rearwardly ofsaid plow.

12. A snow plow having in combination, an upwardly extending chute,means in front of, said-chute for propelling snow therethrough, andmeans for oscillating said chute and first mentioned means about an axisex tending forwardly and rearwardly of said plow.

13. A snow plow having in combination, an upwardly extending chute,means mounted in its entirety on an axis arranged transversely of saidplow for propelling snow through the chute, and means for oscillating,said chute about an axis extending forwardly and rearwardly of saidplow.

14. A snow plow having in combination, spaced propellers, means at theouter sides of said propellers and carried thereby, for moving snow tosaid propellers, a chute in the rear of said propellers, and means forrotating said propellers for propelling snow into said chute anddischarging the same therefrom.

15. A snow propellers having radially extendin scoopshaped bladesthereon, conical, mem ers extending axially of said propellers at theouter sides thereof, vanes extending helically around said members formoving snow to said propellers, a transverse shaft on which saidpropellers and members are mounted, and means for rotating said shaft.

16. A snow plow having in combination, a means through which snow isdischarged, a propeller for directing snow to said means, means forrotating said propeller, said propeller being oscillatable about an axisextending longitudinally of said plow.

17. A snow plow having in combination, a moldboard having an openingtherethrough, a discharge means in the rear of said opening, a pair ofpropellers in front of said means, a shaft on which said propellers aremounted, means for rotating said shaft and propellers, said dischargemeans and propellers being oscillatable as a unit about an axisextending forwardly and rearwardly of said plow.

18. A snow plow having in combination, a mold board having an openingth'erethrough, a discharge chute in the rear of said opening, a framecarried by said chute projecting forwardly through said opening, apropeller carried by said frame, and means for rotating said propeller,said propeller directing snow through said chute.

19. A snow plow having in combination, a mold board having an openingtherethrough, a frame having a portion rotatable about said opening, adischarge means carried on said frame in the rear of said opening, andmeans for propelling snow to said discharge means carried by said frameand extending through said opening.

20. A snow plow having in combination, a member including an openingtherethrough, a propeller for causing snow to travel through saidopening, means for rotating said proplow having in combination,

peller, and means for oscillating said propeller about an axis extendingforwardly and rearwardly of said plow.

21. A snow plow having in combination,

an upwardly extending chute,meansin front i of said chute. and mountedon an axis arranged transversely of said plow/for pr0pel-- h the chute,and means for ling snow throu rst mentioned means about oscillating saidan axis extending longitudinally of said plow.

22. A snow plow including a propelling unit comprising a shaft, spacedpropellers secured to said shaft, a conical member ex tending laterallyfrom each propeller at their remote sides, and helical vanes carried bysaid members.

JOHN R. RITCHIE.

